Chapter 26: Villain

In the eerie silence that had befallen Solstice City, Phoenix was a solitary figure of comfort amidst the chaos. As he indulged in the luxury of imported snacks, engrossed in his game, the world outside was grappling with a bleak, freezing reality. The city's lifelines, water and electricity, had been severed, leaving over 99% of the global expanse in darkness and despair. While some ventured into the snow for water, the absence of electricity was a death knell for modern society's tender constitution.

The residents' group chat, a digital gathering place for Phoenix's neighbors, was a cacophony of pleas and fears, as people sought any sliver of warmth or hope. Among them, Alexander languished with a leg broken by Phoenix, his suffering amplified by the relentless cold. His underlings, drenched by Phoenix in better times, now bore the brunt of their lack of preparedness, their bodies succumbing to fever without any respite or medication available.

Amidst the outside turmoil, Phoenix's abode remained an oasis—warm, brightly lit, and stocked with provisions. His solitary complaint was the absence of female company, a void he quickly dismissed, prioritizing safety and solitude over fleeting comforts. The post-apocalyptic world was no place for trust, a lesson Phoenix had learned the hard way.

As he was immersed in his game, his phone alerted him to a new development. Aunt Lin had messaged the group, her tone official, her words a directive to pool resources for the supposed greater good. Phoenix listened, sneering at her familiar tactics. Lin was cunning, leveraging her minimal influence for personal gain. But Phoenix, wise to her game, was unmoved.

Lin's assurance of an orderly redistribution of supplies was met with skepticism and resistance. Ming, a frugal neighbor, and Sun voiced their dissent. Lin responded with feigned authority, pressing them with her usual blend of intimidation and guilt. But the residents were divided—some desperate enough to believe her, others seeing through the facade.

Phoenix watched, an amused spectator to the unfolding drama. He refused to engage, even when Lin privately messaged him, appealing to his supposed stockpile of warehouse goods. He rebuffed her with sharp sarcasm, a stark contrast to the man who had once fallen for her deceit. When Lin's threats grew more severe, Phoenix retorted with disdain, stripping her of her imagined authority and exposing her impotence.

In the ensuing days, Lin's desperation became more apparent. She swindled some into parting with their provisions, but the collective mood had shifted. Trust had eroded, replaced by a survivalist instinct. As the icy siege dragged on, Phoenix remained disinterested, his home a fortress against the cold and the community's burgeoning anarchy.

Lin's failure to respond to the group's demands for redistributed supplies confirmed her deception. Now exposed and reviled, she became the target of the same social predation she had once inflicted on others. Alexander, eyeing the goods Lin had amassed, made his move. He called her, feigning concern, only to demand the supplies for himself. Lin, realizing she was outmaneuvered, was left to navigate a threat she had no power against.

The once-bullied neighbors watched with a mix of satisfaction and contempt as Alexander and his crew descended upon Lin's home. Phoenix, observing through his surveillance system, found himself entertained by the imminent showdown. As the group chat erupted with reactions to his video of the raid, Phoenix mused over the irony. The community that had once turned on him now celebrated the downfall of its former manipulator.

The video of Alexander's men forcing their way into Lin's home and the subsequent assault was a grim testament to the new law of the land: survival of the fittest. As Phoenix sent the video to the group, he watched the responses pour in. The residents, who had once cursed Lin, now reveled in her misfortune, while others feared the precedent set by Alexander's brutal takeover.

Phoenix, detached from the chaos, continued his solitary existence, watching the societal fabric unravel with a mix of amusement and apathy. The world outside his walls was changing, and he was content to witness it from the comfort of his secure abode, ready for whatever the future held.